The next generation of fingerprint sensors are about to get even more awesome. Qualcomm just presented its new range of Display, Glass and Metal biometric readers for smartphones that can read your fingerprints from underneath the display, from with the metal rear or sides or under water! Moreover, they can also detect your heart beat and blood flow.

This implies that moving forward, manufacturers might not have to confine their fingerprint sensor placement to 2 or 3 predefined spots. They can get innovative and place integrate them anywhere on the phone, including the side frame.

This will also help manufacturers make bezel-less phones with front mounted fingerprint sensors (Alas, only if Galaxy S8/S8+ had one).

“We are excited to announce Qualcomm Fingerprint Sensors because they can be designed to support sleeker, cutting-edge form factors, unique mobile authentication experiences, and enhanced security authentication. This provides OEMs and operators with the ability to offer truly distinct, differentiated devices with added value on truly groundbreaking new devices,” said Seshu Madhavapeddy, vice president, product management, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.

The multi-function Ultrasonic fingerprint sensors can scan through 1.2mm thick OLED displays (LED displays are thicker due to backlight). The new Qualcomm fingerprint sensors for glass and metal can scan through up to 800 µm of cover glass and up to 650 µm of aluminum (compared to 400 micrometers in the previous models).

All upcoming Qualcomm SoCs will support the new readers. And among the existing ones, these new fingerprint readers will be compatible with Snapdragon 660 and Snapdragon 630 mobile platforms.

You can expect to see these in action starting from the first half of 2018. Vivo already demoed a phone using the new technology. Check it out below.

The author spent a significant chunk of his formative years resisting technology. He now keeps an eye on where the world is heading to and drives a passive pleasure from this indulgence. His passion for writing and learning is what drives him each day. When his workday ends, he enjoys spending time with family.